Written Answers Nos. 954-973
954. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of laparoscopic gastric bypass surgeries performed in University Hospital Galway, St. Vincent's University Hospital, St. Michael's Hospital Dún Laoghaire and Letterkenny University Hospital in each of the years 2017 to 2021. [54361/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
955. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy surgeries performed in University Hospital Galway, St. Vincent's University Hospital, St. Michael's Hospital Dún Laoghaire and Letterkenny University Hospital in each of the years 2017 to 2021. [54362/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
956. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if the HSE Service Plan for 2023 will include funding for obesity surgery; and the number of such procedures to be funded. [54363/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
957. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the hospitals that will be allocated funding for obesity surgery in 2023; and the number of such procedures to be funded. [54364/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
959. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) will be allocated a transfer to the National Remedial Hospital for psychology and vocational training that they urgently require; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54370/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
960. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the current capacity of the National Remedial Hospital; the plans, if any, to expand same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54371/22]
View answer961. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the current waiting list per county or lowest available geographic unit for places at the National Remedial Hospital; the corresponding figures for each of the years 2011 to 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54372/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 960 and 961 together.
As these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
962. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health when the staff at a facility (details supplied) will be awarded the pandemic recognition payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54391/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.
963. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the number of children eligible for a look-back review for paediatric audiology services by CHO and LHO for each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and the funding required to complete the look-back review for these children. [54396/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
964. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE physiotherapists currently in position in St. Vincent’s public long-Covid clinic; the number of vacant WTE physiotherapist posts in St. Vincent’s public long-Covid clinic; the status of recruitment of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54404/22]
View answer965. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE clinical psychologists currently in position in St. Vincent’s public long-Covid clinic; the number of vacant WTE clinical psychologist posts in St. Vincent’s public long-Covid clinic; the status of recruitment of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54405/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 964 and 965 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to reply to the Deputy directly.
966. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health when named day centres (details supplied) will reopen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54410/22]
View answerDay-care centres are fundamental to the health and well-being of our older population. They play a key role in enabling older people to live independently in their own communities. Their re-opening has been a priority for me since their necessary closure in 2020. This process began in the second half of 2021 and continues into 2022. At the end of October approximately 304 centres had reopened. This represents about 91% of Day Care Services for Older People. In Budget 2023 I secured an additional €4.1 million to ensure the continuation of older persons and dementia day services to a high standard.
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
967. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if funding will be released to allow a family to access urgent psychiatric opinion due to a child's urgent needs and the HSE being unable to provide for his needs in a reasonable timeframe; if the HSE are able to provide an urgent psychiatric opinion for the child; if the HSE are unable to meet his needs as a matter of urgency, where the family will get immediate care for their son; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54415/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
968. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health the actions that his Department will take to supply information requested under a freedom of information request to a named person (details supplied). [54416/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter relating to a freedom of information request submitted to the Health Service Executive, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
969. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the provision of a primary care centre in an area (details supplied). [54418/22]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
970. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the increased use of electronic cigarette products among children and young people; if his Department intends to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54419/22]
View answerThe usage of nicotine inhaling products, such as e-cigarettes, by young people is monitored through surveys such as the European Schools Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs in Ireland and the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children study. In addition, the Health Research Board conducted research at my request on the use of e-cigarettes by adolescents and subsequent smoking. That research found that e-cigarette use is associated with an increased likelihood of smoking in adolescents.
In order to address the use of nicotine inhaling products by young people, the drafting of a Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill has been prioritised by Government. The Bill will prohibit the sale of nicotine inhaling products to persons under the age of 18. It will also establish a licensing system for the retail sale of these products.
The draft Bill is expected to be published by year-end.
971. Deputy Josepha Madigan asked the Minister for Health if his Department is considering measures to expand access to contraception for women from local community pharmacies without the requirement for a doctor’s prescription, and after having a professional consultation with a pharmacist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54428/22]
View answerIn accordance with the Programme for Government and Women’s Health Action Plan commitments, the free contraception scheme for women aged 17-25 was launched on Wednesday 14th September.
Funding of approximately €9m has been allocated for the scheme in Budget 2022. Further funding of approximately €32 million is provided, through Budget 2023, to support the contraception scheme and to expand it to include 16-30 year olds in 2023. The scheme will be expanded to include 26-year-olds on 1 January 2023, with 16 and 27-30 year olds becoming eligible on 1 September 2023. The expansion of the scheme to 16 year olds is subject to legal advice, detailed consultation and the required legislative amendments.
The scheme is currently open to 17-25 year-old women ordinarily resident in Ireland and provides for:
- The cost of prescription contraception;
- The cost of necessary consultations with medical professionals to discuss suitable contraception for individual patients and to enable prescription of same;
- The cost of fitting and/or removal of various types of long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs) plus any necessary checks, by medical professionals certified to fit/remove same;
- The cost of training and certifying additional medical professionals to fit and remove LARCs;
- The cost of providing the wide range of contraceptive options currently available to GMS (medical) card holders, which are also available through this scheme, including contraceptive injections, implants, IUS and IUDs (coils), the contraceptive patch and ring, and various forms of oral contraceptive pill, including emergency contraception.
The legal framework for the scheme is provided by the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Act, 2022, which was enacted in July and commenced in September, 2022. Digital information regarding the scheme, how to access it and wider information on contraceptive options is available through www.sexualwellbeing.ie .
Over 2,100 GPs and over 1,850 pharmacists have entered into contracts with the HSE to provide services under the scheme.
The potential to make some forms of prescription contraception available through pharmacies, without prescription by medical practitioners, were considered as part of the work of the Contraception Implementation Group. These issues are wider than the free contraception scheme.
The matters have been referred to clinical experts in the HSE, requesting a formal recommendation. The clinical expert group includes pharmacists, nurses and midwives, obstetricians and general practitioners; the group are currently examining clinical considerations and the national and international guidance in order to underpin formal responses.
The group have recently advised that it will take a number of weeks to consider all outstanding matters and to issue a comprehensive formal response that will provide clear answers, with referable sources underpinning them.
972. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 623 of 5 July 2022, the spend on agencies and private recruitment firms for each quarter of 2022, in tabular form; the total sum in each of the years 2019 to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54433/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
973. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of medical consultants who are employed under the consultant contract who have applied for category C status, by speciality; the number who have received approval by the category C committee of the HSE; the number who are still awaiting; the length of time that each is waiting for a formal letter from the HSE CEO to confirm their approval for the change in contract type; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54434/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
